Adjustable ring wherein setting provides adjustment

ABSTRACT

An adjustable ring is provided wherein the size of the ring is varied by varying the position of a movable setting. An upper setting receiving portion of the band member includes a mounting annulus mounted therein which receives the setting in sliding frictional engagement therewith. Adjustment of the setting in the mounting varies the amount the setting extends into the aperture formed by the band through which the finger of a wearer extends.

United States Patent 1 1 3,910,067 Rumbaugh Oct. 7, 1975 1 1 ADJUSTABLE RING WHEREIN SETTING 3,603,109 9/1971 Virtancn 63/15.6 PROVIDES ADJUSTMENT 3,635,047 H1972 Gilbert 63/29 R [76] Inventor: Garry L. Rumbaugh, 601 Orkney FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Rd., Baltimore, Md. 21212 1,447 4/1878 United Kingdom 6.3/l5.6 [22] Filed: Mar. 25, 1974 Primary ExaminerF. Barry Shay p No.: 454,706 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Larson, Taylor and Hinds [52] U.S. Cl 63/15.6; 63/15.65; 63/29 R [57] ABSTRACT 2 gl i An adjustable ring is provided wherein the size of the le 0 care ring is varied by-varying the position of a movable setting. An upper setting receiving portion of the band R f d member includes a mounting annulus mounted therein e erences I e which receives the setting in sliding frictional engage- UNITED STATES PATENTS ment therewith. Adjustment of the setting in the 1,075,673 10/1913 Segman 63/15.6 mounting varies the amount the setting extends into 9, 3/ 917 S gman the aperture formed by the band through which the 1,695,157 12/1928 Quast 63/15.65 fi f a wearer extends 2,961,855 11/1960 Newman 63/15.65 3,236,065 2/1966 Gladding 63/15.65 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures FIELD OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a preferred-embodiment of The present inve'n'tion relates to rings which can be the adjustable ring of the invention is shown. The ring,

adjusted in size to fit the finger of a wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A number of different forms of adjustable rings are 1 variation of particular interest here includes a separate.

adjustment member in the form of a headed screw (see British Patent No. 1447 to Mosely), or a specially shaped spring biased element (see US. Pat. No. 2,787,142 to Axel), to provide adjustment of the ring size. Reference is made also to US. Pat. Nos. 1,075,673 and 1,219,172 to Segman as well as to US. Pat. No. 3,635,047 to Gilbert for further examples of adjustable rings of interest. It will be understood that while the patents listed above represent the most pertinent prior art known to applicant, the listing is not represented to be exhaustive of all patents of interest in the field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an adjustable ring is provided which possesses a number of advantages as compared with adjustable rings of the prior art. The ring of the invention is simple in form and is extremely easy to manufacture while at the same time provides ready adjustment to fit a wide range of finger sizes. The adjustment feature does not require separate adjustment elements such as are required in many of the adjustable rings referred to above. In this regard, the adjustable ring of the invention simply comprises two basic elements, the ring band, and the setting, although, as set forth below, a separate mounting element for the setting is preferably included as well.

In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, an adjustable ring is provided which comprises a frame or band member which includes an aperture therein for receiving the finger of a wearer of the ring, and a setting element, or setting, which is mounted in said frame member relative to said aperture so the amount that the setting element extends into the band aperture, and hence the size of the ring, can be varied. The setting member is advantageously mounted in a mounting annulus in sliding frictional en gagement therewith. The mounting annulus is itself mounted in an opening in the top of the band member.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in, or apparent from, the detailed description of a preferred embodiment found hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded side elevational view of an adjustable ring in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ring of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the ring in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the ring of FIG. 1.

which is generally denoted 10, includes a-frame or band member 12 comprising alower, generally U-shaped band portion 14 through which the finger of a wearer extends and an upper, annular setting receiving portion 0 or mounting member 16 having a central aperture 18 therein which is formed bytlne circumferentially continuous wall of member 16. As illustrated, the axis of aperture 18 is substantially perpendicular to the axis of band portion 14. Frame member 14 is'advantageously constructed of metal although other materials can, of course, be used.

An inner mounting ring or' annulus 20 is received in aperture 18 and is secured to the walls of the setting re ceiver portion 16 of frame member 12. Mounting annulus 20 is preferably constructed of a plastics material although, again, other materials may be obviously used. The central aperture 22 in annulus 20 is concentric with the aperture 18 and is adapted to receive therein a setting member or setting 24, preferably in the form of a stone or an imitation or facsimile thereof. The relative diameters of aperture 22 and setting member 24 are such that there is a sliding friction fit between setting member 24 and mounting annulus 20 so that there is simple axial movement of setting member 24 into and out of the aperture defined by band member or portion 18.

The sliding friction fit between setting member 24 and mounting annulus 20 enables the setting member to be adjusted in a vertical direction as viewed in the drawings so that the amount that setting member 24 extends into the aperture 18 can be varied. In this way the size of the ring can be easily and readily adjusted to fit the size of the finger of the wearer. As indicated in FIG. 3, adjustment of the vertical position of setting member can provide a vriation in ring size between size 8 /2and size 4 /2, although these limits are merely exemplary.

It will be appreciated that, if desired, the setting member 24 can be glued or otherwise fixed into place once the appropriate size for a particular wearer has been arrived at. Further, although a friction fit between setting member 24 and mounting ring 20 is preferred for reasons of simplicity and ease and cost of manufacturing, other forms of mountings can be utilized to provide the adjustment movement of setting 24 relative to mounting annulus 20. For example, it would be possible to provide stone 24 with a threaded base which would screw into corresponding threads on the mounting annulus.

Although the invention has been described relative to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications other than those specifically referred to can be effected without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An adjustable ring comprising a stone, a frame comprising a substantially U-shaped band member which defines a finger receiving aperture for the finger of a wearer of the ring, and means for adjustably mounting said stone in said frame for simple axial movement in and out of said aperture perpendicular to the finger of the wearer so that the amount that the innermost end of said stone extends into said aperture can be changed and the innermost end of said stone can be brought into contact with the finger of the wearer, thereby varying the effective size of the ring, the vleast the distal ends of the legs of said U-shaped band member being substantially straight and extending parallel to the path of movement of said stone, and said mounting means comprising a mounting member which is disposed between the straight parallel ends of said band ture being parallel to and in sliding frictional engagement with the side walls of said stone.

2. An adjustable ring as claimed in claim 1, said mounting means a mounting annulus located within said mounting aperture, the inner surface of said mounting annulus being in sliding frictional engagement with said stone so that said stone can be moved relative thereto.

3. An adjustable ring as claimed in claim 2 wherein said stone includes substantially cylindrical sidewalls.

4. An adjustable ring as claimed in claim 2 wherein said mounting annulus is constructed of a plastics material.

5. An adjustable ring as claimed in claim 4 wherein said stone is cylindrical and said band portion is constructed of metal. 

1. An adjustable ring comprising a stone, a frame comprising a substantially U-shaped band member which defines a finger receiving aperture for the finger of a wearer of the ring, and means for adjustably mounting said stone in said frame for simple axial movement in and out of said aperture perpendicular to the finger of the wearer so that the amount that the innermost end of said stone extends into said aperture can be changed and the innermost end of said stone can be brought into contact with the finger of the wearer, thereby varying the effective size of the ring, the least the distal ends of the legs of said U-shaped band member being substantially straight and extending parallel to the path of movement of said stone, and said mounting means comprising a mounting member which is disposed between the straight parallel ends of said band member, said mounting member having a circumferentially continuous wall defining a mounting aperture in which said stone is mounted, the plane of said mountiNg aperture being orthogonal to the plane of said finger receiving aperture formed by said U-shaped band member, the side walls of said stone being parallel to the path of movement of the stone and the inner walls of said mounting member defining said mounting aperture being parallel to and in sliding frictional engagement with the side walls of said stone.
 2. An adjustable ring as claimed in claim 1, said mounting means a mounting annulus located within said mounting aperture, the inner surface of said mounting annulus being in sliding frictional engagement with said stone so that said stone can be moved relative thereto.
 3. An adjustable ring as claimed in claim 2 wherein said stone includes substantially cylindrical sidewalls.
 4. An adjustable ring as claimed in claim 2 wherein said mounting annulus is constructed of a plastics material.
 5. An adjustable ring as claimed in claim 4 wherein said stone is cylindrical and said band portion is constructed of metal. 